Wheel suspension



Sept. 20, 1949.

v E. w. BORJESON WHEEL SUSPENSION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed Nov. 18, 1938 P 1949- E. w. BCSRJESQN Re. 23,147

WHEEL SUSPENSION Original Filed Nov. 18, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 pm l %P I, n I a m w l I rig '5 m a i {50 f5 17% 8 Reissued Sept. 20, 1949 23,147 WHEEL SUSPENSION Edward William Biirjeson, Stockholm, Sweden Original No. 2,282,025, dated May 5, 1942, Serial No. 241,287, November 18, 1938.

Application for reissue February 25, 1948, Serial No. 10,821. In Sweden November 23, 1937 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to wheel suspensions and has for its main object to provide an improved mechanism for connecting the wheels of a vehicle to the vehicle frame so as to enable a wheel to act independently of its companion wheel, the wheels swinging each substantially in a vertical plane and maintaining the track unchanged.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple construction of a lever system for a wheel suspension, said lever system being de signed to enable the wheel to rise and fall independently in relation to the vehicle frame, maintaining the track of the wheels substantially unchanged.

A further object of my invention is to provide a pivotally mounted straight line travel wheel suspension for steerable road wheels in which the steering mechanism is substantially free from disturbance from the swinging movements thereof. 4

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following de tailed description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a constructional of the mechanism shown in Figures 1 and 2, the

section being taken on line IIIIII of Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are a side elevation and a plan view respectively of a steering lever mechanism in conjunction with a mechanism according to my invention;

Figure 6 is a front perspective view of a suspension for a steerable road wheel, parts of the steering mechanism and the vehicle frame being shown.

In the constructional form of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 the, cross bar 32 is secured to a frame member or beam 40 in the vehicle frame by clamping means 42 of any suitable construction. The outer end of the cross bar 32 is bifurcated and has journalled in the arms thereof the two links M which have their free ends formed as pivots It for the double-armed levers 6, the arms of each lever B being equal in length to each other and to the eifective length of the links M. The inner ends of the levers 6 are articulated to link supports 2, H which are pivoted to the cross bar 32.

Link supports 22, 2! are rotatable about a common axis, the upper link support 20 having integral therewith a hollow pin 44 fitted in a bearing sleeve 46 which is mounted in the frame bar 32. The lower link has a journal pin 48 extending through the hollow pin 44 and prevented rrom longitudinal displacement therein by a nut 59 screwed to the end thereof. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the ends of the levers 6 are journalled on bolts 52 extended transversely through the fork-shaped ends of the link supports. Bolts 52 are connected by means forming a pivot for a bell-crank lever 54 in a steering lever system. This means comprises an upstanding guide pin 56 pivoted on the lower bolt 52 and a guide pin 58 suspended on the upper bolt 52. The pin 58 is coaxial with pin and slidable in an axial bore in the upper end thereof. Each pin has a shoulder 60 and 62 respectively, a coil spring 54 being compressed around the pins between the top of the bell-crank 54 carried by the pins 56, 58 and the shoulder 62 on pin 58. The lower side of bell-crank 54 is supported by shoulder 60.

The outer ends of the double-armed levers B are articulated to wheel carrying means comprising the steering spindle 54 and upper and lower connecting members 66 secured to the spindle and having fork-shaped ends for the reception of the ends of levers 6, pivot pins m, 12 extending therethrough. A steering knuckle 68 carries the stub axle B.

As indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1 the centres of the bolts 10, 12 will move on substantially a straight line when the wheel rises and falls. Furthermore, it will be clear from Figure 1 that the centre of bolts 52 move only through a small are at a relatively appreciable swinging movement of the wheel, and consequently the deviation from the straight line of the centre of the bolt 52 is very small. At the swinging movements of the wheel the centres of the bolts 52 will move towards and from each other, such movement being'possible due to the slidable or telescc picrelation of the pins 56, 58.

The steering mechanism and levers for the wheel suspension lever system shown in Figures 1 to 3 may be of any suitable detail construction the principle thereof being illustrated by Figures 4 and 5. The hand-wheel spindle is designated by M and the steering worm by 16. The output shaft 18 of worm 16 has two bell-cranks 80, 82, one extending downwardly and the other upwardly in Figure 4. Steering rods 84, 86 connect the bell-cranks 80, 82 respectively with the bellcranks 54 which are pivoted to the coaxial pins 56, 58 as described with reference to Figure 3. Drag links 88 with the usual ball joints 38 and 88 connect the other arm of the bell cranks 54 with the steering arm 90 on the steering knuckle 118,. It is obvious that rotation of the spindle 14 in one direction will cause movements of the rods 84, 8G in the directions indicated by the arrows 92 shown in full lines the stub-axles 8 swinging as shown by the full line arrows and that rotation in the opposite direction of the spindle I4 will cause opposite movements of the rods and stub axles, of the movements shown by the dotted arrows 9 1-, 96, 98 tively.

It will be noted that a particular advantagei's involved in mounting the steering bell=crankf-lever 54 as shown. exactly th sam distance laterally as the centres or the pins 52 during the vertical swinging "movements or the stub axle, and, therefore, the course of travel orthe wheel will (not be affected at rising and falling movements of the wheel provided that the (stee ing rod 88 is parallel with the levers 6 in the projection on a vertial mane.

In [F gure 6 a complete suspension for one front whee a and the steerin means tnereror isiuu'strate'cl. The longitudinal supporting frame member 2 for the companion wheel and a steer- ,bell-erank lever therefor is also illustrated, it will be .e nit that the eompamon whee pension is in to that illustrated. con- 'v" tional hand eel 14,0, steering spindle 142, mgea'r I44 p1 arm 1 46,, drag rod I48 and tie .a 1 may be used in the steering mecha- The tie rod .ends' are eac :camieeteq to .Ofne arm of th? hell cjlfahk lever 54 arranged to mo e to ether with the inner ends or the parallel is B of the wheel susp sion eversystem simii. o the cfnsitjr cnion shown n figures 11m ,3. The oth ar of the hen-crank lever 54 is h Ct fl 19.0 t e arm of the 'stefilfliil SknhckldfiB by ime 91; 85 h on i n l ball j ints 88 and 88 at the ends thereor,

The pivot for the bar-crank lever '54 is formed y t e mid portion of ay-oke 152 the Shanks 154 bei g share a p s or he inner ends or the di lible-armed levers a and having their nner en i rnali d in th Slid blocks 1.: which are .rl pl eab e in gu de ways on the frame member 'I'h m d DOrtion or yoke its para el and similar to yoke I52 forms the steering Spindle, and the shanks I58 of yoke l5 serve as pivot pins for the outer arms of the parallel levers ,6. Links M are provided wherein the upper link 1.4 is shown with a bell crank I I4 acting on .a coil spring The 'lever 54 will in fact move I I8. Parts of a bearing bracket and a spring housing It: for the coil spring Ht are cut away for the purpose of illustration.

Although no suspension springs are shown in l igures l to 5 it will be evident to those skilled in the art that suspension springs of any conven tional type may be used in all the various embodi ments. The springs may be arranged and comisined with the ever system as illustrated in Fig ure 6 or in other way.

Generally, it is understood, that as my invention is intended for use in various kinds of vehicles the elements shown in the drawings may have any of the well known equivalents substituted therefor, and that such changes as are necessary for adapting my invention to its various requirements without departing from the spirit of the iifventih may beina'de she ran within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a vehicle, a frame, a wheel, a wheel cari'r'rember, means connecting said wheel carrying member to the frame for independent rising and falling movement of the wheel with respect tta the frame t'zoiniiri sing parallel double arm lepivotally- 'corinected at one end to said wheel carrying {parallel link levers each pivotany connecting intermediate portions of one of said double arm levers to the frame, pivots for the other ends of the double arm levers mounted on the frame for movement with respect thereto in substantially horizontal directions, means connected with said pivots providing a further pivot, a bell crank lever mounted on said further pivot and a steering link connecting said ball crank lever to said wheel carrying member. 1

2. In a vehicle, a frame, a wheel; a wheelcarrying member, means connecting said wheel carrying member to the frame for independent rising and falling movement of the wheel with respect to the frame comprising substantially parallel double arm levers connected at one end :to said wheel carrying member; parallel link levers each pivotally connecting said sdouble arm levers to the frame, link supports pivotally eonneting the other ends of the double arm li'lifsto the vehicle frame at a common point, slidalile conjr'iecting means between the connecting point of said link sup orts orming a pivot, a lbll cra'nk lever earned by said pivot, and a steering link connected at one end to the bell crank lever and at the other end to the wheel carrying member.

3. In a vehicle, a frame, a wheeLa wheel car- 'rying member, means connecting .sa'l'd wheel (cartying member to the framefor independent rising and falling movement of the wheel with respect to the frame comprising parallel double arm lev'ers pivotally connected at one see to said wheel carrying member, parallel link levers each pivotany an intermediate portion of one double a'rfi-i lever to the frame, pivots for the other ends or the double arm lev r" sli'dably mounted in said frame for movement in substantially horizontal directions; a vertical yoke connecting said pivots, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on said yoke, and a steering link connecting said bell crank lever to said wheel carrying mel'iilier.

EDWARD WILLIAM BoRJEs'oN.

REFERENCES crrim The renewing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Kumm Oct. 20, 1942' N m er 

